1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a high-purity alicyclic aldehyde that is used as a raw material for perfumes or intermediate products of medicines and agricultural chemicals in a high yield and in an industrially advantageous manner, and more particularly to a process for producing an alicyclic aldehyde having a structure derived from the hydrogenation of the aromatic ring of a corresponding aromatic aldehyde.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known methods for the production of alicyclic aldehydes include a method of reducing an ester of a corresponding alicyclic carboxylic acid (U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,416); a method of oxidizing a corresponding alicyclic alcohol (U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,896); a method of reducing a corresponding alicyclic carboxylic acid (EP 439115A and WO 00/12457); and a method of formylating a corresponding alicyclic olefin with hydrogen and carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide (JP 5-246925A and JP 2001-233795A). However, the method of reducing the ester of alicyclic carboxylic acid requires a step of converting an alicyclic carboxylic acid into its ester to complicate the process. Also, in the method of reducing the alicyclic carboxylic acid, the reduction reaction must be carried out under severe conditions, or compounds that are not readily industrially available must be used. Further, in the method using the corresponding olefin or alcohol as the starting material, an additional reaction step such as Diels-Alder reaction is required.